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The ancients said: you are what you eat. Modern research confirms this statement. Not only health and longevity but also mood depend on the diet. Alas, in recent years, people are less likely to distinguish proper nutrition from Healthy diets for weight loss. However, many of the latter not only has nothing to do with healthy eating but can also seriously harm health. While a balanced menu will help not only bring the weight back to normal but also significantly improve your well-being.
Healthy nutrition is the key to well-being and longevity
Why is it important to eat right, even if your weight is normal? Biologically, a person is not able to consume such an abundance of food as we have now. When nature “designed” us, it assumed that we would walk long kilometers in search of each root or piece of meat, eat small portions, most of our diet will be fruits and vegetables, and meat and honey will come across to us much less often.
But civilization has changed everything – today even people with a small income can easily afford high-calorie, fatty, salty and sweet foods. And for this, there is almost no need to move! But in the natural habitat, the average Homo sapiens should pass at least 10–20 kilometers per day. As a result, almost all people in the civilized world move little and overeat,
The consequences of malnutrition can be not only overweight and obesity. An unbalanced menu is the cause of lethargy and constant fatigue (even if you get enough calories), diseases of the liver, pancreas and gastrointestinal tract, skin problems, various types of allergies, brittle and rare hair, irritability and poor performance, as well as such formidable diseases like diabetes, ulcer, gastritis, stroke, atherosclerosis, cirrhosis. More than 70% of all modern diseases are the result of malnutrition, excessive alcohol addiction, overeating or, conversely, diets that are devastating to health.
The principles of good nutrition
A healthy diet can solve many health troubles, and the sooner you begin to adhere to the principles of a rational diet, the better. When we say “diet”, we do not mean a short-term hunger strike, which supposedly solves all health problems. The correct diet is not the use of lettuce leaves alone, but a way of life. Here are the basic principles of a healthy diet:
Eat only when hungry. The availability of food has led to the fact that we often sit down at the table without the slightest desire to eat, “eat up” sadness or gnawing high-calorie chips and popcorn in the cinema just to keep our hands occupied with something.
Give preference to minimally processed foods. Minced meat, mashed potatoes, mousses, all kinds of smoothies are too soft food. The chewing process is a very important part of digestion. Eating such food, we spend much less calories than we should.
Keep track of calories. On average, a person needs 1800–2200 calories per day, these figures vary depending on weight, gender, age, health status, level of exercise, and period of life. With age, the need for calories decreases, but you should not cut back on protein intake, but on fats and simple carbohydrates (bread, pasta, sweets).
Eat small meals
Our digestive system is designed for 5-6 meals in small quantities, and not for 2-3, as we are used to. Each meal should be the size of a fist or smaller. If you eat only once or twice a day, the body will begin to accumulate fat.
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Keep track of the ratio of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. 50% carbohydrates, 25% fat and 25% protein is the formula that fits most.
Make a difference. A week on one rice or salad will not make you healthy – it will make you irritable. Food should be varied and tasty – firstly, it’s good for mood, and secondly, it will provide you with all the necessary vitamins.
Avoid ready meals and fast food. Frozen pizza, dumplings or a hamburger may not seem so high-calorie, but the technology for the production of such dishes involves a very high percentage of hidden fat, preservatives and salt.
Do not eat in the evening. At night, your stomach also sleeps and cannot cope with the digestion of a hearty dinner. There should be at least 2 hours before going to bed.
The right diet for every day
Before revising your diet, you need to talk with your doctor. There are products that are contraindicated in certain diseases. Healthy people can make their own menu based on our example of proper nutrition for every day of the week.
Monday
- Breakfast: oatmeal on the water with the addition of milk, one boiled egg, whole grain toast, tea or coffee without sugar.
- Lunch: vegetable puree soup, a sandwich with whole-grain bread and low-fat cheese.
- Snack: cottage cheese with dried fruits.
- Dinner: chicken breast baked with vegetables.
Tuesday
- Breakfast: millet porridge with raisins, tea or coffee without sugar.
- Lunch: green cabbage soup, broccoli casserole.
- Snack: vegetable salad.
- Dinner: baked chicken with boiled potatoes.
Wednesday
- Breakfast: natural yogurt with a handful of berries, tea or coffee without sugar.
- Lunch: chicken soup with vermicelli, cottage cheese casserole.
- Snack: fruit salad.
- Dinner: steam fish cakes with a vegetable side dish.
Thursday
- Breakfast: poached egg on whole-grain toast, tea or coffee without sugar.
- Lunch: Salad with chicken, whole grain bread.
- Snack: a glass of fresh Juice.
- Dinner: baked fish, boiled rice.
Friday
- Breakfast: granola with fruits and nuts, tea or coffee without sugar.
- Lunch: mushroom soup, lazy cabbage rolls from lean chicken.
- Snack: rice casserole with dried fruits.
- Dinner: vegetable stew, squid salad.
Saturday
- Breakfast: buckwheat porridge, tea or coffee without sugar.
- Lunch: zucchini soup with chicken breast and vegetable salad.
- Snack: cottage cheese pancakes.
- Dinner: durum wheat pasta with vegetable sauce.
Sunday
- Breakfast: scrambled eggs with 2 eggs, tea or coffee without sugar.
- Snack: fruit salad seasoned with yogurt.
- Lunch: fish soup, vinaigrette.
- Dinner: Bean Stew
As you can see, a healthy diet is very far from a hunger strike. But there is no point in perceiving it as a diet – in order to preserve beauty and health, you need to eat as always, occasionally allowing yourself deviations from the rules – after all, we are all people.
